After two hours of web searching and frequent panic attacks, Louis knew several things about Harry. His actual name was Harry Edward Styles, he was from Cheshire, his band had been formed 2010 at X Factor and he was really, really famous. He was seen as the flirt of the band and Louis had no problem with guessing why. Those dimples and the charm that just radiated out of him said it all. The other members of the band were called Zayn Malik and Liam Payne. Louis recognized Liam as the stranger in the bathroom and realized that he'd been very, very rude. Now that he thought about, he should probably send some sort of apologetic teddy bear just to make sure Liam didn't hate him.
What Louis also had understood was that the band, One Direction (he had known that band, dammit! His sisters listened to them all the time), had a fandom that consisted mainly of girls, ages around twelve to twenty.
Louis now understood why Harry had insisted they sneak out the back door and why he'd hid from the crowds. Because of course he had not wanted to be seen leaving a club together with a bloke. If there was anything at all that stood out to Louis, it was that Harry had a huge image of being a ladies man. He had even gotten Taylor Swift. There were articles about him seeing older women, even back from the time when he had been only seventeen and what Louis didn't understand was how the hell Harry-totally-straight-Styles of One Direction had ended up making him breakfast in the morning. And he found that he and Niall probably knew something that not many people in the world could know about, because Louis was definitely sure. There was no way in hell that Harry Styles wasn't gay, or at least bi. Something else that Louis was sure of was that if people found out, hell would break loose.
"Poor Harry," he sighed to Niall. "It can't be easy not being out and with all that publicity."
"Poor Harry? Louis, he has like thirteen million followers on Twitter."
"Really?" Louis said, dropping the pity feelings. He hadn't even considered that Harry had a Twitter account. "What's his name?"
"Harry_Styles." Niall answered and Louis immediately got his phone out and searched for him. As it turned out Harry was very, very, very famous indeed. His last tweet had been about someone wearing a cheese hat and it had gotten about fifty thousand favorites and almost nearly as many retweets. Louis usually got around thirty of each.
"I still can't believe that you slept with Harry Styles and neither of us recognized him. I mean, I've heard their songs and your sisters have posters of them on their walls. This is insane. Do you have any idea how many girls would hunt you down and stick forks in your eyes if they knew?"
"Probably around thirteen million," Louis said. He still couldn't grasp this. Only two hours ago, he had unknowingly had Harry Styles in his kitchen making waffles and a couple of hours earlier than that, he'd fucking had sex with him.
"Hey! Did you get his number?" Niall suddenly asked, eyes full of hope. A serious case of disappointment filled Louis.
"No..."
"Dammit, Louis! If a hot guy that turns out to be a pop star sleeps in your bed, then you mother fucking get his number!"
"It wasn't like I had much time! Remember him running out of here in the middle of breakfast? Any faint memories?" Niall only shook his head in a disappointed manner.
Louis turned to his phone again, frowning. Without thinking of the fact that Harry had turned out to be an infamous boybander, Louis had actually liked him. Normally he didn't like his one-night stands, but already then Louis had found Harry different, and he'd even let him stay the night. Harry was so warm and his lips were so soft and gentle, yet he knew how to be just the perfect amount of rough. If Louis weren't so strict about his rules then he probably would have ended up giving Harry his number. They could've been occasional fuck buddies. But now, there was no way in hell that he was ever going to get a chance to see Harry again. Louis was most probably someone that Harry was praying never were to realize that Harry was who he was and there was no way for Louis to contact him ever again.
But Louis just shrugged. It wasn't like he had expected this, right? So there was no need for disappointment. It wasn't even reasonable that he was disappointed...except for the fact that Louis had actually liked him a lot even before he'd known who he was.
Louis typed out a tweet to his mere seven thousand followers.
The Tommo (@TheTommo)
I may announce that last night was a success. A certain someone had me up all night.
Immediately he got some replies and he smirked at them.
T & A (@TAsayshey)
Tommo scores again.
He laughed. He just had to retweet that one. Doing so only resulted in more mentions.
Pete Langley (@PeteL19)
I want to meet you! You and N sound like a blast!
Karen West (@SunnysideKaren)
We love you Tommo! Why can't we find out your real name?!
Jonah Meyer (@Thekickerlicker)
Does this mean I'm out of chances of getting down with you?
Louis smirked at the last one and replied,
The Tommo (@TheTommo)
@Thekickerlicker I'm still single pringle! If you can find me I'll let you try and charm me.
"You are playing with their feelings, Louis," Niall chastised, phone in hand. Louis only smirked.
The Tommo (@TheTommo)
I know something that you don't.
"No one's going to believe you if you say that you had sex with Harry Styles," Niall pointed out. Louis snorted.
"It's not like I'm going to go around bragging about it." He wasn't that dumb and anyway, he wouldn't do that to Harry. Louis knew what some people thought about being gay and Louis could easily imagine what it could do to Harry's career. One Direction was pretty much known for being sexy and straight.
"I don't kiss and tell." Louis added.
Niall gave him a sidelong glance. "Oh really?"
"I don't."
"But you paint quite vivid pictures describing the sex you had with them."
Louis narrowed his eyes. "As if you're so innocent."
"I don't forget to text and let my flatmate walk in on me having sex in the kitchen."
"Niall."
"And I didn't sleep with my teacher."
"Niall. This isn't 'I never'"
"And I didn't forget to tell my best friend that there was alcohol in their drink, so that I could persuade them into let me practice making hickeys."
"I was sixteen!"
"I didn't fuck in my parents bed," he continued.
"I'll get your grandmother's urn, Niall."
"And I didn't jerk off while my best friend was sleeping next to me."
"Urn, Niall. Urn."
--
Four days later, Louis found himself at work. The place was kind of crowded and the line was long. One of the newer co-workers was a lazy girl who spent most of her time in the kitchen, texting. Louis had asked her to help out several times and nothing happened.
"Lindsay! If you don't fucking get out here and help me I will fucking have your head and put it as a sign outside!" he yelled as he carried out a big box of milk cartons from the kitchen. The thing was fucking heavy.
"How's work?" Louis recognized Niall's voice. He found him leaned against the counter next to the line. It was almost four o'clock so Louis guessed he'd just come off work.
"What does it look like?" He replied, wiping some coffee powder off his forehead, after picking up a finished latte. "Meredith!" he called out, reading the name on the cup. A middle-aged woman that was in a huge need of a make over came up to the counter and got it.
"Sweaty," Niall smirked.
"Next please," Louis muttered at the line, as he reached down under the counter, desperately searching for some coffee lids. "Niall, you should go order us some pizzas." Lids! He found lids! "I'll be off in like twenty minutes and –" standing up straight, Louis choked on his own saliva. Coughing violently he blinked at the customer in front of him. Right before him stood no other than Harry Styles.
Harry seemed just as shocked as Louis. They stared at each other for several moments. Harry was today wearing dark jeans just like before but this time he wore a knitted sweater and a beanie. A beanie. He looked incredible.
"Hi," Harry finally said, biting his lower lip. Now Louis wanted to do that.
"Hello," he said. Louis didn't know what to do with himself. What do I with my hands? he freaked. What do I do with my hands!? "Nice...uh, nice to meet you again." He let his arms hang along his sides. He looked like a monkey. A freaking monkey. Walk up in the club like whaddup take a look at my mother fucking arms! He thought sarcastically to himself.
"Same," Harry smiled and that dimple showed up, making Louis' insides flutter.
"What would you like?" he asked nervously. Niall had grown painfully quiet and stood there like a wide-eyed statue. Louis wanted to hit him with something. Too bad the urn wasn't around.
"A mocha latte and two regulars. To go." God, that voice. It sounded even deeper now that he hadn't heard it in a while.
"Can do," Louis smirked. He started on the Mocha. "So I hear you're a bit of a star." Harry's face turned pale and that 'oh shit' expression crossed his face. "Don't worry," Louis reassured him. "My lips are sealed. And so are his," he nodded at Niall who hadn't seemed to come out of his coma quite yet.
"I appreciate it," Harry said earnestly.
"Of course. Though I do wonder," Louis smiled. Harry just shrugged, smiling back hesitantly. But it wasn't like he could explain his life history in this crowd. Louis finished the coffees and found himself wishing it would have taken twice as long to make them, just so he could have more time with Harry. His eyes caught on the marker pen he usually used for names. An idea flashed to his mind.
When he was done he personally handed the drinks to Harry and smiled. Harry tried to hand him his credit card, but Louis held up his hands. "It's on the house. Consider it a friendly gesture."
Harry hesitated. "You sure?"
"Of course."
"Then I should come here more often," Harry said cheekily and those beautiful green eyes twinkled.
"You should," Louis smiled. He really, really should. Sigh.
"Then consider me a regular." Oh no. Feelings. "I should go. I'm holding up the line." No, no you can stay, curly. "I'll see you around, Louis. Bye, Niall." Niall waved stiffly and then Harry was gone. Louis stared after Harry, yearning written all over him.
Niall came to life and Louis snapped out of his coma. "A caramel latte please. " That angelic face smiled, fluttering with his eyelashes. Louis knew exactly what this kid wanted. Sorry, Niall.
"That's two pounds for you."
--
Harry Styles POV.
Harry and his bandmates Zayn and Liam where sitting on the couches in Liam's flat. Zayn had stayed there during the night and Harry had brought them coffees before they were heading off for rehearsal. Of course, he had run into Louis. Louis with his cute fringe, amazingly blue eyes and that hell of a bum... It had been a shock finding him there all flushed behind the counter. The sight had been breathtaking. But of course Louis had found out who he was. But somehow Harry trusted him. It was a weird feeling but he was oddly sure he wouldn't tell anyone.
"Who is 'TheTommo' ?" Liam asked out of nowhere.
"Huh?" Zayn muttered.
"It's says so on my coffee cup," Liam frowned. On the cup? Realization hit Harry. Louis must have written it. His stomach made a loop. It was obviously meant for him.
"Let me see," he reached for it. There on the back of the cup, it said simply 'TheTommo'.
"Is that some kind of code for "Harry let me love you"?" Zayn smirked.
"I'm not sure that is what it is," Harry said after rolling his eyes. The boys always made fun of the girls' want for him, knowing that he wasn't interested in their particular gender much.
"Is there anything you'd like to tell us?" Liam asked, eyebrows raised. Why did they know him so well?
"Louis may or may not work at a coffee shop..." he admitted.
"Louis? As in Louis the guy you haven't been able to shut up about for days?" Zayn said.
"The guy you are totally crushing on?" Liam added.
Harry rolled his eyes again. "Yes, as in that Louis," he answered and then frowned again. What could TheTommo mean?
"What does this mean?"
"I don't know." Harry frowned.
"Is it a twitter name?" Zayn suggested. Hmm, Harry thought. Maybe.
He picked up his phone from his pocket after handing Liam back his coffee and then got on the app. As usual he had thousands of messages and mentions and he ignored them all. He got the search bar up and typed in the name. He found a profile. The background was white with navy stripes and the icon was a picture of a pair Tom's. Harry scrolled through the tweets.
The Tommo (@TheTommo)
Today I was woken up by N who was hitting me with a stick as he screamed "Piñata Piñata".
The Tommo (@TheTommo)
I don't know where cats come from, but apparently pussies are all over the place. Stop bringing the kitties into our home N.
The Tommo (@TheTommo)
Some people should just not be let outside. I'm talking about all you lot.
The Tommo (@TheTommo)
I know something that you don't.
Retweeted from - T & A (@TAsayshey)
Tommo scores again.
The Tommo (@TheTommo)
I may announce that last night was a success. A certain someone had me up all night.
"Is that Louis account?" Zayn asked. Harry hadn't even realized he was looking over his shoulder.
"I guess. But it's anonymous." The last tweet had been sent last Saturday though, the same day Harry had woken up, arms clutched tightly around Louis' soft body. This couldn't be a coincidence. This had to be Louis' account.
"He even follows you," Liam pointed out. Yep, this had to be Louis. Slowly Harry tapped the follow button. He knew he shouldn't, because if management found out then he was dead. He should not be going around following blokes he'd had sex with. But Louis was different. Harry had seen the glow about him immediately in that bathroom. And the sex... Louis was definitely experienced and sure as hell knew what he was doing in the bedroom.
Harry sighed and leaned back against the pillows on the sofa. Louis was something special. He was quirky and funny, the sass written all over him. But he was also so soft and kind of beautiful. He was handsome but his features held that tone of "pretty".
They'd met twice now, and Harry couldn't wait to see him again. Now he knew where he worked and he had promised he was a regular now after all...
--
It wasn't that Louis hated pickles...it was just that finding them randomly in his kitchen wasn't very pleasant. Sure, Louis wasn't the best at cleaning up after himself either, but old stale food was not very nice to accidentally set your hands on. And it smelled. Someone needed to come disinfect this whole flat soon.
Louis sliced up the pizzas Niall had ordered for them and they'd picked up on the way back from work. Louis was still in a daze after meeting Harry again. He wondered nervously if Harry had got his settle message and he was frankly quite scared of rejection. He hadn't liked anyone in a while now and feelings were not his "cup of tea" really.
He brought the pizza cartons to the couch and set them on the cheap coffee table. Niall immediately reached over and grabbed a slice.
"You were really awkward today, Niall." Louis announced. He just needed to put it out there.
"But he's like a millionaire."
"Next time you will act like someone who can speak and you won't stare, alright?"
"Next time?" Niall smirked. "Someone's gotten all confident considering you don't even have each other's number."
"Actually I gave him my twitter."
"But that account is like anonymous."
"Not to him."
"How very nice of you to share such a private part of your life. He should feel honored." Louis could hear the hint of sarcasm.
"You should feel honored I brought him into our flat." Niall only snorted. Louis grabbed a pizza slice as well and they both chewed quietly. Well, Niall didn't chew quietly.
After a while Niall frowned. "Louis? What is your plan with this all?"
"Hm?"
"I mean what is your plan with Harry? Let's say Harry does follow you on twitter and let's say you meet him again. What are you going to do? I mean he is famous, like reaalllyy famous. And he isn't even out. It's gonna' be one hard relationship."
"Yeah, it's gonna' be hard." Louis smirked. Niall rolled his eyes.
"You know what I mean. But what do you want?"
Louis shrugged. "I don't know, fuck a little? Mess around? It's way early to be thinking about this, Niall."
"But still. You're the one who's never going to settle down until you're past thirty. That's like ten years or something. If you get caught up in this..." Niall trailed off. Louis shrugged again, but Niall knew him. Niall knew how the motto "Fuck before feelings" had come to be. Louis didn't sleep with one person twice. Niall had asked him about it and he had only shrugged 'I tend to catch feelings easily." Yes, he had actually said 'catch' feelings, like it was some sort of illness.
"But what if he doesn't follow you? I know you're going to be eating ice cream, crying and listening to Adele in the middle of the night." Niall added. "What's that your phone?" Niall recognized the tone coming from the kitchen area. Louis got up and fetched it from the sink.
"Um, Niall," he said shakily. "I don't we have to worry about that."
"WHAT?" Niall jumped up from the couch. "HE FOLLOWED YOU?"
"He did." Louis was shocked. Harry had figured it out.
"Oh dear," Niall fell back on the couch, a hand resting on his forehead. "I think this is a little too much for my body to handle."
Joanna Hathaway (@JHathaway)
@TheTommo Ummm, did Harry Styles just follow you on twitter, Tommo?
Spencer Lee (@HootersSL)
@TheTommo I knew it. You're actually famous, aren't you?
Claire Wilde (@Clairethecraic)
What.Just.Happened. Did my idol just follow my favorite twitter account? Idek. @TheTommo
Fifty dollars for a euro (@PennyLawrence21)
@TheTommo Do you know @Harry_Styles??! Please DM him for me???
Liam The Real Batman (@1D2010xx)
@TheTommo Who are you? Why did he follow you? Do you know him?
Lizza Jacobs (@3erectionmydirection)
@TheTommo Do you know Harry? Are you friends with them? Answer please!
Shagster (@StanBlake)
@TheTommo Hahaha look at all the attention you're getting now, T. All the girls want you. #TheyDon'tKnowYouLikeTheD
Woah. Louis mentions were just rolling in. Dear god, what a simple follow from someone like Harry could do.
--
* Fan POV. *
Elle and Jenna lay on their backs on Jenna's bed, scrolling through Harry Styles' twitter. This was something they ended up doing pretty much every time they hung out.
"Jenna!" Elle exclaimed. "Harry just followed someone!"
"He did?"
"Yeah, the eight changed into a nine when I refreshed the page."
"Wonder who it is? He hasn't done a follow spree in a while." Elle said as Jenna clicked on the lucky account's link and they found themselves on an anonymous page. The background was striped.
"Who is this?" Elle wondered as they scrolled through the new twitter account.
"Well, obviously it's a guy..." Jenna said. "And he is friends with someone named N, who seems really funny by the way... hey, look at this tweet."
The Tommo (@TheTommo)
I may announce that last night was a success. A certain someone had me up all night.
"This was posted last Saturday. Didn't Harry leave the club with someone unknown? That picture of them walking down the street all drunk came up last Saturday too."
"What are you saying, J?" Elle said. "That this is someone Harry slept with?"
"Maybe. Could be a coincidence."
"This is a guy though... Are we saying Harry's gay?"
"Well his pants are awfully tight..."